Wolverhampton Wanderers and West Ham United will return to domestic action by going head-to-head at Molineux on Tuesday, with both sides looking to claw themselves even further away from the relegation zone and enjoy a productive end to what has been a turbulent season involving managerial alterations.
Vitor Pereira was appointed as Gary O'Neil's successor in the Wolves hot-seat in December, thanks to a compensation package worth £800,000 being agreed with Saudi Pro League side Al-Shabab, while Graham Potter replaced the sacked Julen Lopetegui at the Hammers' helm a matter of weeks later.
West Ham were triumphant when the two sides met at the London Stadium earlier this term, with Jarrod Bowen grabbing the winner after Wolves' Matt Doherty cancelled out Tomas Soucek's opener, and this is how GIVEMESPORT expect the teams to line-up in the West Midlands.
Cunha Remains Out of Contention Due to Ban
Brazilian serving extended suspension thanks to red card in FA Cup
Matheus Cunha in action for Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolves will still be without talisman Matheus Cunha when West Ham make the journey to Molineux, thanks to the Brazil international being handed an extended four-match ban and a £50,000 fine following his red card in the closing stages of the FA Cup defeat to Bournemouth last month.
The 25-year-old, who has fuelled speculation that he could head through the exit door when the transfer window reopens in the summer by confirming that he wants to take his career to the next level and fight for titles, will not be in contention for game time until the visit of Tottenham Hotspur on April 13.
Sasa Kalajdzic, Yerson Mosquera, Enso Gonzalez and Leon Chiwome have been long-term absentees for Wolves - resulting in them still not featuring since Pereira's appointment as head coach - and they are not on course to be involved in the matchday squad against West Ham.
Pereira Drops Pre-Match Team News Update
Portuguese tactician has no fresh injury problems to worry about
Vitor Pereira
Pereira has confirmed that no members of his squad suffered injury problems during the international break. The Portuguese tactician also insisted in his pre-match press conference that he will continue selecting Cunha when available, despite hinting at wanting a move. He said:
"No new injuries. Everyone is in a condition to help the team. It's good.
"If training gives me the confidence to play with Cunha, I will play with him because he has the quality to help us. With goals, with assists, in this moment, if he has the right mentality to be focused and be with us, it’s very easy to manage. If not, I'm here to decide."
Wolves' Predicted XI for Clash with West Ham
Wanderers could remain unchanged from win at Southampton
Wolves head coach Vitor Pereira smiling
Wolves Predicted XI: Sa; Doherty, Agbadou, Toti; Semedo, J. Gomes, Andre, Ait-Nouri; Munetsi, Bellegarde; Strand Larsen.
Wolves Predicted Substitutes: Bentley (GK), Bueno (DEF), Djiga (DEF), Doyle (MID), Forbs (FWD), Guedes (FWD), R. Gomes (FWD), Hwang (FWD), Sarabia (FWD).
Although Cunha's unavailability will come as a significant blow for Wolves, Pereira could opt to go with the same side that notched three points at Southampton before the international break as they look to register back-to-back wins against a West Ham side aiming to recover from conceding a stoppage time leveller at Everton last time out.
That would mean £250,000-a-week trio Goncalo Guedes, Hwang Hee-Chan and Pablo Sarabia once again start from the substitutes' bench.
Fullkrug Poised to Make Return for Hammers
Germany international has made full recovery from hamstring injury
Niclas Fullkrug in action for West Ham United
West Ham head coach Potter has been handed a welcome boost ahead of facing Wolves as Niclas Fullkrug, who completed a £27.5million switch from Borussia Dortmund in August, has fully recovered from the hamstring issue that has sidelined him for the past two-and-a-half months.
The 32-year-old Germany international has been frustrated by injuries during his first season in the Premier League, having also missed a number of fixtures earlier in the campaign thanks to sustaining an Achilles problem in September, and he will provide the likes of Evan Ferguson with competition for game time.
Niclas Fullkrug's statistics for West Ham United this season
Although Fullkrug is pushing to be involved against Wolves, West Ham will not be able to call upon the likes of winger Crysencio Summerville - who has opted against undergoing surgery - or frontman Michail Antonio as he continues his rehabilitation following a car accident in December.
Potter Drops Team News Update on Fullkrug
Summer signing in line to be included in matchday squad
Graham Potter
Speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of making the trip to the West Midlands, Potter confirmed that Summerville will be absent and Fullkrug is on course to be named in the matchday squad even if the Premier League encounter with Wolves comes too soon for him to be included in the starting line-up. He said:
"Summerville, no [he won’t be available], but Fullkrug has been training with the group and will more than likely be in the squad. We've just got to obviously build his minutes up in terms of what he's able to do. He hasn't played competitive football for a while and he's had a fairly significant injury, but he's training well and he's building his fitness up, so he'll be in the squad.
"You can do all the rehab in the world and you can train as well, but you can't beat and you can't almost replicate Premier League competitive minutes, so that's the next stage for him. But whatever role we can give him, he'll do it as best as he can, and then it's good to have him back in the squad."
West Ham's Predicted XI for Fixture at Wolves
East Londoners expected to continue with Bowen and Kudus in attack
West Ham winger Jarrod Bowen claps his hands
West Ham Predicted XI: Areola; Todibo, Mavropanos, Kilman; Wan-Bissaka, Paqueta, Ward-Prowse, Soucek, Emerson; Bowen, Kudus.
West Ham Predicted Substitutes: Fabianski (GK), Cresswell (DEF), Scarles (DEF), Soler (MID), Alvarez (MID), Rodriguez (MID), Fullkrug (FWD), Ings (FWD), Ferguson (FWD).
Ferguson is pushing for his first start since joining West Ham on loan for a substantial fee from Brighton & Hove Albion during the winter transfer window, having got his name on the scoresheet for the Republic of Ireland during the international break, but he may be forced to settle for a place on the bench.
Ollie Scarles is also battling to be reinstated to the starting line-up in place of Emerson Palmieri, while teenage winger Luis Guilherme - who sealed a £25million switch from Palmeiras in June - could find himself dropping out of the matchday squad to make way for Fullkrug.
All statistics courtesy of Sofascore and Capology - correct as of 01/04/2025.
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